US star Alex Morgan to return home after Spurs stint

United States’ forward Alex Morgan (L) speaks with United States’ midfielder Kristie Mewis (R) during the women’s friendly football match between the Netherlands and the United States of America (USA), at the Rat Verlegh Stadium in Breda, the Netherlands, on November 27, 2020. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos / POOL / AFP)

US star Alex Morgan is to leave Tottenham in the New Year to return home, the Women’s Super League club announced on Monday.

The forward joined Spurs from Orlando Pride in September in an effort to regain fitness after giving birth to her first child in May.

The 31-year-old played the full 90 minutes for the first time during the 3-1 win over Aston Villa earlier this month, opening the scoring from the penalty spot.

That proved to be her final match for the club after Sunday’s trip to defending WSL champions Chelsea was postponed due to an outbreak of coronavirus in the Blues camp, before the league entered a winter break.

“We can confirm that Alex Morgan will be returning to the United States in the New Year after the conclusion of the first half of the FA Women’s Super League season,” said a statement on Tottenham’s official website.

Morgan, who made five appearances for the north London club and scored two goals, is expected to re-join Orlando after they retained her rights to play in the National Women’s Soccer League.

“I will be forever grateful to the club, my teammates and Spurs supporters for taking such good care of me and my family,” said the 2012 Olympic champion and two-time World Cup winner.

“From the moment I arrived in London, I realized I was part of a first-class organization, one that helped provide me the opportunity to immerse myself back into the game I love.”

Tottenham’s head of women’s football Heather Cowan said: “It has been a pleasure to have Alex with us during this period and the whole squad has taken a lot from working every day with someone at the top of the women’s game.”